Is that firbrosis or fibrosis? Fibrosis can be treated by a few ways such as embolization. But i've never heard of firbrosis.

(embolization makes it possible to shrink the cystic fibroid as it is enclosed in its membrane. )

a typo?



Patrick

I don't know very much about c.F. Yet, but I am doing some research on it for a class in college. Cystic fibrosis is an inherited condition that causes the mucus in the lungs and the digestive tract to be abnormally thick. This makes it extremely difficult for patients with c.F. To digest food, especially foods that are high in fat, and therefore, c.F. Patients do not put on weight very well, even though they might eat enormous amounts of food.

The thickened mucus in the lungs also makes it difficult to breathe at times. Another complication this mucus causes is a lot of respiratory tract infections, such as bronchitis. The mucus acts as a home for the bacteria and viruses, causing frequent and often times severe infections. It is also a progressive disease, meaning that it gets worse as tim goes on. Patients these days are expected to live about twenty-one years, up ten years from twenty-five years ago.

It is entirely treatable, though. As patrick said, embolization can help. There is no cure for c.F. As of yet, however. There is no way to prevent it, either. It is estimated that 1 in 20 caucasions carry the gene that causes c.F. It is a recessive trait, however. C.F. Can now be detected in unborn children. Scientists have found the gene that causes it, and can determine if an unborn child will have c.F. With a high rate of accuracy. If they don't catch it before the child is born, it can also be detected as early as two months in infants by a sweat test. This test is not 100% accurate-few tests of any kind are-but it is a reasonably reliable test. It works by measuring sodium levels in the sweat, as c.F. Patients have a much higher concentration of sodium in their sweat.

One of the books I am using in my research is called "robyn's book: a true diary." this book is an autobiography written by a young woman who had c.F., and was published in 1986 by a company by the name of point. It is not a very technical book; I found it in the children's literature section of my school's library, but I have enjoyed what I have read so far. You might look into maybe finding a copy.

I wish you luck in this, and I apologize if any of this information is in any way incorrect.

-david

Cystic fibrosis is different for everybody. My cousin has cf and his life expectancy was supposed to be maybe age 12.. However today he is 28 and doing well. He has a hard time breathing and has to have breathing treatments 2-4 times a day and he has a lot of meds that he's on. He gets tested once a year for a lung transplant, but each time he's told he's too healthy to recieve a lung transplant (that's a good thing). He also has a hard time gaining weight, but he has managed to stay at about 105lbs. But then there are also people who have cf and you don't even know it by looking at them, they are normal weight and appear to be as healthy as people w/o cf.

Okay, I have cf. Let's get some stuff straight. Cf has an median lifespan of 33 years. The mucus is thick everywhere in the body, but complications are most frequent in the lungs, digestive tract, and sinuses. 1 in 29 people of the general population is a carrier of the disease. It takes two carriers to have a baby with cf. If two carriers have a baby, there is a 1 in 4 chance the child will have cf, 50% chance the child will be a carrier, and 1 in 4 they will be neither. Carriers do not have symptoms, although some researchers (and myself) believe carriers are more likely to have allergies and sinus problems. The mucus in cf patients is abnormally sticky and in large amounts. This is what causes malabsorption. The pancreas can't secrete its digestive enzymes that break down fatty foods. Cf is not cureable, and treatment consists of replacement digestive enzymes with every meal and snack, chest physiotherapy daily, nebulized aerosols for those with lung involvement, and treatment of sinus problems as needed. Cfers with worsening lung conditions can get a lung transplant which is essentially a "cure" for the lung component only. There are gene therapies (possibly future cures) in clinical trials as we speak. Cf can be diagnosed before birth with an amniocentesis, or after birth with a sweat test or genetic testing. Lots of states have cf as a standard test after birth. or www.Cysticfibrosis.Com

My sister had it and so did her fiancee. But sadly she died at hte age of 20 on may 21 2001 , 4 yrs ago, and he died just last year from it rite after thanksgiving. They both had it . Now they are both together forever.

I have CF and have obviously always had it. It made playing sports impossible but instead I learned to do other things. I am in reasonably good shape for being 48 AND having CF. The treatments are advancing pretty well now and by the time you start having any real problems they may have the treatment that will allow you to have a pretty normal life. For relaxation I rebuild car engines and I just wore my little oxygen hose in my garage this past weekend and did my work. It is inconvienent and not everyone has a case like mine, but it seems that only the people that are teenagers or in their early twenties are ever reported.

I know one CFer that is in her 60's. How old does somebody really want to get? I plan to get another twenty to twenty-five years and then I am going to take a break. Good luck and have hope. That doesn't mean don't go to the doctor. Go but learn on your own and don't be afraid to ask questions. They diagnosed me last year because they thought I was too old to fit the disease. I insisted on the gene test and I am glad I did.
Take care,
Charles

it is cystic fibroses




Patrick[/quote]